Fair comment on Hattons lack of Plan B, but Plan A would have been enough. If Witter wasn't a Brit and had had a "history" with Hatton nobody would be calling this fight close based on the 2 fighters records/ performances.
I always thought the Magee fight gave a good bit of evidence for a Witter win. Like the others are saying both of them were a bad match up for each other. Would of made a good fight.
There's a lot of smoke and mirrors with Witter though. 15 KO wins on the spin looks alright but the moment he faces someone that can take a punch he was extended the full 12 and was lucky to walk away without a draw on his record against N'Dou. Not sure who he faced that could punch either....... Hatton had a better punch than pretty much anyone, and taking N'Dou away (and possibly Bradley) a better chin too.
But then he decimated a few people that took others further. There was definitely power there, the application of it was poor at times. He would have been in with a very live chance. He's a different type of puncher to somebody like Tszyu. Witter threw the kind of shots that hurt Hatton throughout his career.
The only question for me would be how Hatton wins it, either by KO or on points. I could never see witter beating Hatton
Putting N'Dou down twice has to be a sign of power. I can't remember seeing him down outside of Malinaggi (sounds worse now ) But Witter had him down and hurt a good few times and almost finished him. Hatton's chin wasn't the greatest he done well when he was hurt though as he knew how to survive. Lazcano had him hurt as did Magee, Collazo and Urango. Outside of Urango those three are not huge punchers two of them are good counter punchers though. I just think Witter had enough power to hurt hatton and wasn't as easy to tie up at his prime as Magee or Collazo would of been. Again we can talk about this for ages as both of them had a good chance of beating the other but it never came off.
This is the key for me. Though you are correct that Witter's punches, especially those hook/uppercut types are the sort that trouble Hatton..... I'm not sure he throws enough of them consistently enough to get the job done. Bradley forced him out of the fight with basic pressure, Hatton had faster feet and back in the day actually moved his head. Not that head movement would be decisive, he only really used it to draw a lead to allow him to jump in with the hook.
Witter, in his prime, certaintly had decent power at the weight. I think he'd have definitely taken Hatton the distance, whether he'd win or not, is a different matter. I'd say it's clear that Ricky didn't fancy a tough nights work against a domestic rival who he didn't like.
hatton would have beat him!! pitty the fight didnt happen.he should have fought him after the mayweather loss!!!
Which is why Hatton spent his entire career ducking Junior Witter. There were many oppertunitys, hatton should have fought him then we wouldnt be arguing this. But he didnt so it goes down in history as a duck. Nuff said
It's how I have always saw it, he could not fight him on the inside that would be foolish, just sharp counters as Hatton comes forward, a tough contest, but I have always fancied Witter...:yep I am not a Hatton hater either, been following Ricky since he turned pro and have spent far more than I would liked to following him all over including 3 trips to Las Vegas...:yep As much as I like Ricky Hatton, my call is Witter in this one...:deal
I think that back in the day Ricky Hatton would have gladly fought Junior Witter, it was other people who gave that fight a swerve out of Rick's control...:yep Junior Witter had the potential to de-rail the Ricky Hatton package, it was far to early to take a calculated risk that could have in the long term cost all interested parties mega bucks...:deal